Saturday 3rd June:

F1 TT...

Finally the weather had cleared and conditions were perfect.  Seventy one riders started the F1 race, six of us Kiwi's and all on R1 Yamaha's other than Blair Degerholm on his highly tuned ZX7RR Kawasaki.

Steve starting the F1 TT

Joey Dunlop was a man on a mission right from the start, after the first lap he was leading, 10 seconds ahead of David Jefferies who was in fourth.  On lap two he was ahead by just half second, but his slick pit stop put him almost 5 seconds ahead at the half way stage.  After lap three and pit stop two the half second advantage was in Jefferies favour, his fourth lap was completed at 121.07 mph and Joey (who had borrowed one of Aaron Slight's engines) clocked in at 121.06 mph.

The Kiwi's had mixed fortunes, Shaun Harris was in 13th place, a comfortable 23 seconds ahead of John Hepburn who was really picking up the pace at 115.75 mph (approx. 1.5 sec is lost due to the pit stop).  I had worked my way from 34th after lap one to 23rd on lap four with my best time yet of 113.13 mph. Nigel Healy was running Dunlop 207 GP's and was discovering first hand that these brilliant short circuit tyres are not so great at the TT.   Their sharp profile made the R1 unstable in a straight line forcing him to roll off over the mountain. Never the less he was still in 32 nd position and clocked 111.36 mph.  Blair unfortunately pulled into the pits after three laps while running in 11th, Mark Robinson also retired while in 44 th position.

David Jefferies pushed his R1 hard trying to catch Joey.  On lap five he broke down at Ballaugh Bridge, leaving Joey comfortably (although rumour was he found the SP1 a real handful) leading well over a minute ahead of Jefferies team mate Michael Rutter.

The only true lap time is the final (flying) lap.  I was anxious to reach my 116 mph goal and after two hours I still felt great and my Pirelli EVO's were still working a treat.  I passed the pits in 20th place at 160mph and headed down Bray Hill bracing myself for the ultimate rush as the suspension bottoms out at 9000 rpm in top and my helmet is forced onto the tank by the G forces.

I regained my senses just in time to wheelie over Ago's leap, then the second rise a few seconds later.  I rolled off, touched the brake, changed down a gear then released the brake just before the bump where a side road meets, the back end always kicks up here. Once the bike had settled I am braking hard down hill towards Quarterbridge.  The forks bottomed out then the front wheel locked up for a split second so I eased the pressure off then feathered the brake to keep it right on the limits of traction with the back wheel bouncing in the air.  I could feel every bump through the bars with the forks max'ed out.

Peeling the R1 off the Mountain section into Douglas

I missed the apex, leaving it as late as possible before peeling in towards the Quarterbridge roundabout.  As I let the brake off and laid it over, the suspension decompressed pushing the front wheel out.  I was now putting my new Spidi leathers to the ultimate test as all I could do was watch and follow my R1 as it slid backwards into the kerb outside the Quaterbridge pub.  I immediately picked the bike up desperate to get going again, but when I saw the brake reservoir bowl was missing I realised my race was over.   The huge sympathy applause I received was great and I waved showing my appreciation then headed for the bar where I ordered a complimentary Guinness, which was little compensation for throwing away 19th place and a bronze replica - I should have asked for a pint of Jamesons on the rocks.  I was cursing myself for such a stupid mistake, I had been running too hot into Quarterbridge throughout the whole race and without thinking I decided to brake harder after the bump rather than before it.  Another lesson learnt the hard way!

I was rapt to hear the commentary as Joey Dunlop took the win 60 seconds ahead of Michael Rutter.  Jim Moodie on the controversial Fireblade was three minutes down in 5th, Shaun Harris came 11th and Heppo was just 15 seconds behind in 12th. Nigel Healy had battled his way up to 34th, just two seconds short of a bronze replica.  Fifty bikes finished, there were 21 retirements and 11 non-starters.

This was a three-lap race and was another Honda benefit with the winners average speed was just short of 110 mph.  Unfortunately, Chris and Richard Lawrence who are regular Kiwi contenders at the TT, had dropped a valve over the mountain on the first lap.

That evening I joined the party down at the Douglas promenade.

I eventually arose to a bleak looking Mad Sunday.  The rain would not be helping the riders tackling the widow-maker style hill climb which I planned on watching and, due to my complete lack of Spanish vocabulary, I could not secure our FZR 1000 pit bike from the Argentineans in time to catch the midday start.  So I checked the events calendar:

• Southern Vintage Tractors Rally,
• Harley Davidson rides, (are they two different events?),
• Custom Chopper Club, or
• Street Fighter Challenge.

Oh well it's wise to stay off the roads on Mad Sunday anyway.  The mountain is closed for one-way traffic and the best entertainment can be found sitting near Gutheries, The Veranda or Windy Corner and watching the Mad Sunday carnage.